Apparatus for splitting brick or the like



April 7, 1931 R, UNDSAY:

APPARATUS FOR SPLITTING BRICK OR THE LIKE Filed Jan. 27, 1930 Patented Apr. 7, 1931 ROBERT D. LINDSAY, ornnnvnn', Geronimo APPARATUS roa srLITrINe BRICK on THE LIKE Application filed January 27, 1930. Serial No. 423,871.

' This invention relates to-improvements in methods and'apparatus for splitting bricks and similar articles.-

It often happens that it is necessary to 5 splitbricks either lengthwise-or crosswise or on a given angle andthis has heretofore been accomplished by themason by means of a chisel butwith very unsatisfactory results.

. It is the object oft his invention to produce a simple device by means of which bricks can be split along a predetermined plane very quickly and with a small percentage of breakage. 7 V

I have found during experimentation that if the pressure is applied to a brick along two parallel lines on opposite sides thereof, that.

stresses can be produced which will cause the brick to split in a plane that passes through the two lines along which the pressure is ap- YZU plied. V

For the purpose of applying pressure to the brick I have J produced an apparatus which, briefly described, consists of two relatively movable jaws which are provided with 715 means for moving them towards and away from each other. The adjacent surfaces of these jaws are provided with ridges having parallel edges that are adapted to engage the opposite sides of a brick. An adjustable shelf is provided which serves as a support for the brick and determines the position of the brick with respect to the edges. 1

Having thus briefly described the invention the same will now be described in detail, and,

for this purpose reference will. be had to the accompanying drawing in which the preferred embodiment thereof has been illus trated and in which I Fig. 1 is an end elevation of my improved apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 22, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view showing a difierent embodiment of the invention; and

Fig. 4 is an end view of the device shown in Fig. 3.

In the drawing reference numeral 1 represents a table or a bench to whichthe device is secured. The device that forms the subject of this invention may be constructed in difierent ways but for-the purpose of i1lusof sheet metal that bent andhasa flange-16 that serves trationit has been shown asconsisting of a steel casting having a base 2 that issecured to the support or *benchby means of bolts 3. Formed integral with the base 2 is a jaw member 4 that extends vertically from the upper surfa'cethereof. This jaw has been shown as comprising a fiat member whose sides are parallel but it may have specifically difierent'shapes if desired. Extending from one side of the jaw andformed' integralwith it and with the base 2 is a rib 5=that is provided with an opening for the reception of the pivot pin 6; A -movable jaw 7 is provided with two downwardly extending-lugs or ears 8 that are perforated for the reception of the .pin 6. Jaw 7 has an opening through which :the screw 9 extends. This screwis provided with a collar 10 that is adapted to engage the outer end of the hub 11 as :shown in l. AhandlelQextends through the outer end ofthe screw 9 and 'isused in rotating the screw. The other end of screw 9 i-s.provided with threaded section 13 that extends through an opening in the vertical jaw mem ber 4.- and cooperates with a nut 1% that is secured to the jawmembere. When the towards or away fromjaw member 4 dependang on the direction ofrotation. Secured to the inner "surface of member 4 1s an ad ust able shelf 15. This shelf consists of a piece at right. angles v as a'support for the brickl'f. The. vertical flange 15 is provided with two slots 18 through which the securing bolts 19 pass. The flange 15 is also provided with a notch or cut-out 20 so located that it will embrace the screw 9-'and therefore the shelfcan be raised and lowered 'without'comin-g in contact with the screw.

Each ofthe jaw membersis provided on its inner surface with a groove" 21 that extends transversely thereof. Located within each "groove' is "a rectangular barv 22 of carbon steel. This bar is held in;placeby"means of 5 i-screws 23. The grooves -21E-are so located that the sharp'edges of bars 22 will lieiin the same lplanean-d therefore "when-a brick is put into-plaoebetween the door members-and han? ig en d e u .Wfllf e p e to the brick in a plane that contains the two adjacent edges of the bars 22. This stress plane has been designated by numeral 24. After a brick has been put in place, and the jaws tightened so as to produce the necessary strain, the brick will split along the plane 2 L after the pressure has acted upon it for a short time.

In Figs. 3 and l I have shown my invention embodied in a device that can be attached to and used in conjunction with an ordinary vise. The vise, although it is of usual construction, has been illustrated for the purpose of better explaining my attachment and it consists of a part that has formed integral with it a base 26. The base is secured to the bench 1 by means of bolts 27. Formed integral with part is a jaw 28. A movable jaw 29 is provided with a square guide member 30 that extends through an opening in member 25. A screw 31 is associated with the two parts of this vise in the usual manner and is rotated by means or a hand e 32. My improved attachment consists of two fiat steel plates 33 that are each provided at its upper edge with two bent fiat bars 34 that are adapted to engage over the top of one of the jaw members for the purpose of holding the plate in place thereon. One of the plates is provided with two openings 35 and the other is provided with two parallel pins 36 that extend through the openings in the other plate and serve as guides. The inner surface of each plate is provided with a groove 37 for the reception of a square steel bar 22 that is held in place by means of screws 23 in the same manner as shown in Fig. 2. When the jaws of the vise are moved towards or away from each other, the plates will also move in a manner obvious. A piece of wood or other material 38 is supported on the pins 36 and serve to support the brick when it is put in place. The operation of the device shown in Figs. 3 and 4 is the same as that shown in Figs 1 and 2, and will therefore not be further described.

In the example illustrated, the brick is supposed to be cut parallel with one of its edges, but it is evident that it can be split along any plane whatsoever, and the device can therefore he used for cutting bricks to conform to different angled corners and for any special purpose. Where a large number 0 bricks are to be cut to a predetermined shape and size the supporting shelf 15 can be replaced by one that has been designed to hold the brick in such a position that it will have a definite position with respect to the sharp edges of the bars 22.

From the above description it will be seen that I have produced a simple method by means of which bricks and similar articles may be split along any desired plane and that I have also produced a simple apparatus by means of which my method can be practiced.

Having described the invention What is claimed as new is:

1. device for splitting brick, or the like, comprising, in combination, two jaw members one of said members having guide openlngs and the other having guide rods (36) that are adapted to enter the guide openings, the adjacent face of each jaw hav- 1ng a groove, a bar located in each roove and means for holding the bars in place.

2. A device for splitting brick, or the like, comprising, in combination, two jaw members one of said members having guide openings (35) and the other having guide rods (36) that are adapted to enter the guide openings, the adjacent face of each jaw having a groove, a bar located in each groove, means for holding the bars in place, and means secured to each jaw member for supporting it from the aws of a vise.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

ROBERT D. LINDSAY. 

